GHIZER, Pakistan: A glacier outburst in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan province triggered flash floods on Friday, damaging more than 100 homes and displacing hundreds of families, local authorities said.
The disaster struck Roshan Valley in Ghizer district after a glacier burst near Tali Das in Gupis Valley, creating an artificial lake and blocking the flow of the Ghizer River for nearly eight hours.
Officials said several villages were submerged, but no loss of life has been reported.
Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Firaq confirmed the incident, saying floodwaters had swept through Talidas and Rawshan villages, washing away houses, farmlands and infrastructure.
“More than 100 households have been directly affected, forcing families to move to safer locations,” the spokesperson said.
Rescue 1122, the provincial emergency service, said around 200 people were evacuated and relocated to Yangal and Samal villages.
“Several people have been traumatised after their houses were destroyed. Medical assistance is being provided to the affected,” a Rescue 1122 statement said.
Local residents credited shepherds living near the glacier for issuing early warnings through mobile phones, enabling many families to flee before the floodwaters reached their homes.
رات کے اندھیرے میں سیلاب کی اطلاع تلی داس اور راوٗشن کے باشندوں تک چراگاہ میں موجود چند چرواہوں نے فون کال کے ذریعے پہنچائی۔ اسی بروقت خبر کے باعث متعدد افراد فوری طور پر محفوظ مقامات کی جانب منتقل ہونے میں کامیاب ہوئے۔#Ghizer #GilgitBaltistan pic.twitter.com/MQYfNuyZ4c
— Roshan Din Diameri (@Rohshan_Din) August 22, 2025
Gilgit-Baltistan Secretary Fida Hussain confirmed that “timely alerts” helped prevent casualties.
Authorities said the flood swept away orchards, farmland, a timber factory and flour mills, while a century-old bridge and a one-kilometre road stretch were also destroyed.
Landslides triggered by the outburst blocked the Gilgit–Shandur Road, cutting off access to several communities.
Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism Ghulam Muhammad said at least 70 houses had been completely destroyed.
“The river water is standing due to flood debris, and the level is rising. If the flow is not restored, hundreds more homes could be submerged,” he warned.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister, Haji Gulbar Khan, visited the affected areas on Friday and ordered immediate evacuations, relief distribution and medical aid.
غذر۔ وزیر اعلی گلگت بلتستان حاجی گلبر خان نے سیلاب سے متاثرہ علاقہ رعوشن کے متاثرین کو فوری طور پر محفوظ مقام پر منتقل کرنے اور ریلیف، میڈیکل سہولیات کی فراہمی کو یقینی بنایا جائے۔ وزیر اعلی نے ریسکیو آپریشن فوری شروع کرنے میں کمانڈر ایف سی این اے کا بھی شکریہ ادا کیا۔#Ghizer pic.twitter.com/cbzfumxyRb
— Information Department, Gilgit-Baltistan (@infogbgovt) August 22, 2025
Pakistan Army helicopters were deployed to rescue stranded residents, while local volunteers joined emergency workers in evacuating families.
Glacial outburst forms artificial lake
Rescue officials said a seven-kilometre-long artificial lake has now formed in the valley, posing risks for low-lying areas, including parts of Gilgit city.
⚠️ خطرے کی گھنٹی..
عطا اباد ہنزہ کے بعد غزر میں ایک اور جھیل !!
اج صبح سویرے سیلاب کی وجہ سے دریا کے بہاؤ کے رکنے سے ہنزہ اعطا اباد جھیل کی طرح ایک نئی جھیل غزر ویلی می بننے کا خدشہ پیدا ہو گیا ہے۔ اور دوسرا جھیل بننے کے امکانات ہیں، جو بڑے خطرے کی نشاندہی کر رہا ہے pic.twitter.com/9RQHEyM18R
— Gilgit Baltistan Tourism. (@GBTourism_) August 22, 2025
Announcements from mosques and imambargahs were used to alert residents and urge precautionary evacuations.
Pakistan, home to more than 13,000 glaciers, is highly vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which scientists link to rising temperatures caused by climate change.
Experts warn that around 10,000 glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan and neighbouring Chitral are receding, increasing the risk of sudden floods.
The calamity comes as Gilgit-Baltistan is reeling from weeks of torrential rains that triggered flash floods, landslides and road closures, killing at least 39 people since June. Losses in the mountainous region are estimated at around Rs30 billion.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast fresh rain and thunderstorms from 23 to 27 August in several districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, warning of further landslides and flash floods.
Nationwide, more than 700 people have been killed and nearly 1,000 injured in rain-related incidents since June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been the worst affected, with over 350 deaths, while Punjab and Karachi have also suffered heavy losses.
